Tier 1 General HSMP Visa Extension

The Tier 1 General category was closed to new applicants outside the UK on 23 December 2010 and to new applicants inside the UK on 5th April 2011.

However existing HSMP and Tier 1 General visa holders may apply to extend their visas.

If you are already in the UK under the HSMP and your permission to stay will soon expire, you can apply to switch into Tier 1 General of the points-based system in order to remain here.

123 Visas are here to help, once we understand your current situation and future plans, we will inform you of all the UK visa options available to you.

Save yourself time by completing a free assessment or request a call back and member of our team will contact you within 25 minutes; alternatively you can select a more convenient time to be contacted. We also offer a Fast Track Same Day Visa services for urgent applications.

Further Information

You can apply to extend your stay in the UK under Tier 1 General if you are currently here in one of the immigration categories:

Tier 1 General

Highly Skilled Migrant Program

Self-employed lawyer

Writer, composer or artist

If you are outside the UK, or in the UK and not in one of the categories above, you cannot apply to Tier 1 (General).

You must Score at least 95 points if you currently have permission to stay in the UK in one of the categories above

How you can score points

The points available are as follows:

Age; 5 to 20 points

Qualifications; 30 to 50 points

Previous Earnings; 5 to 80 points

Uk experience; 5 points

English Language Ability; 10 points

Maintenance; 10 points

If you are in any other eligible category, your total points score must be at least 100 points (unless you are covered by the HSMP Forum judicial review)

Length of Stay

With an approved extension application, you will be able to continue living and working in the UK for a maximum period of:

2 years if you are currently a Tier 1 (General) migrant and your current permission to stay was granted before 6 April 2010; or

3 years if you are in any other eligible immigration category.

At the end of this period, you may have lived continuously in the UK as a highly skilled migrant for 5 years. You can then apply to settle permanently in the UK. If you are not yet eligible for settlement, you can apply for permission to extend your stay under Tier 1 (General) again.

Dependents

A dependent is:

Your husband, wife or civil partner; or your unmarried or same-sex partner; or your child aged under 18 years old.

Your dependent children can be over 18 years old if they are in the UK now as dependents.

If you are the partner or a dependent child under 18 of a migrant who is in or coming to the UK under Tier 1 General category, you can apply for a visa to join them in the UK. The Home Office, UKBA will grant leave in line with the expiry date of the Tier 1 General’s visa.

In order to be granted entry clearance as a spouse, civil partner, unmarried or same sex partner, the family member and the main applicant must be aged 18 or over on the date he/she is due to arrive in the United Kingdom.

In order to be granted entry clearance as a child of Tier 1 General Migrant, the child must be under the age of 18 on the date of entry clearance application.

The Uk Immigration Minister has announced new changes for Tier 1 High Value Migrants. These changes which include removing the English Language Requirement for Intra – Company transferees will come... Read More